Cheater
by XxFearTheFluffxX
Summary: It wasn't so unusual for him really, when you got right down to it. He had that air... that aura about him. All things considered, she really should have seen it coming. After all, he was a man too. MakaxSoul


She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Not really. This kind of thing was Soul's MO after all, and Maka had known that all along. He'd had that air about him even when they first met, even before she'd experienced it first hand. It was in his blood; his soul. It was as natural as breathing to him.

Even so, Maka couldn't help feeling just a little ticked off. Not to mention disgusted and offended and bitter and... Well, you get the idea. How could he? After the argument they'd had the last time, she'd figured he'd at _least_ be hesitant. But no; Soul was Soul. Soul was stupid. And after tonight, Soul would most definitely be dead.

"You've been cheating again, haven't you?" Maka demanded smoothly. She used the same tone she'd heard Mama use on Papa many times before – low and quiet and infinitely dangerous. The tone that was literally the calm before the storm. The tone that her Papa _still_ had nightmares about to this very day. Soul would be a fool not to tremble at the sound of that tone.

But he didn't so much as shiver. His lazy, questioning gaze didn't waver, and if Maka didn't know any better, she'd say he was totally oblivious to her 'evil' voice. Well, no matter. He was never the most perceptive guy in the world anyway. A swift Maka Chop would sort that quizzical look on his face soon enough.

Stretched out on their couch with a look of pure apathy on his rough features, red eyes full of bored indifference, Soul favoured her a non-committal grunt. His head lolled over the back of the seat tiredly, limbs splayed all over the place in various states of idleness. Every inch the 'cool guy'.

In Maka's opinion, that was more an insult than the cheating itself. It was more an insult than admitting it would have been, and definitely more insulting than denial. Because his answer wasn't an answer at all, and that meant he didn't see her worthy of a proper reply. Disrespectful _and_ infuriating. It was the final straw.

"Answer me you clown!" she yelled, throwing her glass – still half-full of orange juice – at his hung head.

It sailed on past like a giant bullet, grazing his nose and ruffling his hair as it flew at the wall and shattered into a million pieces. Soul yelped and hastily shielded his eyes from the raining shards with his arms, grunting as sharp splinters and droplets of sticky liquid hammered his bare arms and landed in his hair.

"Maka! What the hell? Are you _trying _to kill me?" Soul snapped, lowering his dripping arms and scowling at his Meister. "That was _glass_ for the love of-,"

"Answer me!" Maka interrupted, her voice a shrill screech of anger. "You're cheating aren't you?"

Soul frowned, running a hand through his sodden hair. For a long time he didn't answer; he merely picked the glass off himself and grumbled about having to have another shower, all the while ignoring Maka who was steadily becoming more and more agitated. She struggled to grasp whether he was avoiding the question out of guilt, or out of his idiotic 'cool guy' persona – either way, it grated on her nerves and wore at the last scraps of her patience.

"Well?" she hissed, shooting to her feet from her spot on the floor and towering over the laid-back scythe.

"Well what? Don't you think you're overreacting?" Soul drawled, leaning back again and folding his arms under his head.

"So that's a 'yes' then?" Maka spat, disgusted. "You men are all the same! Cheaters; each and every one of you!"

He closed his eyes and sighed, a long, deep sigh of exhaustion.

Maka bristled at the sound of it, her hands clenching into fists at her sides – she could feel her palms itch with the urge to smack him one. But she wouldn't. Not yet. First she wanted him to talk. To admit this egregious act and beg for forgiveness. She would _not_ go to her bed until he did, and she wouldn't let him leave either. They were going to have it out tonight, she swore it. Once and for all.

"I want an answer Soul Eater Evans." she barked, advancing a threatening step and silently enjoying the slight spark of fear manifesting in his eyes. He grimaced, showing his jagged, animal-like teeth – an expression, it didn't escape Maka's notice, that looked pained.

"What're you talking about?" he grumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You're not making any sense."

"I can't hear you; speak up!"

"Alright already! I didn't cheat, okay? Now can I _please_ go have a shower? Thanks to your moment of madness, I smell like an orange and that is _not_ cool."

Maka blinked. So he was going to deny it was he? Did he think she was stupid? There was no way – _no way_ – he could have not cheated. Maka Albarn was no fool; she knew what was what, and she knew she was right. Soul was a dirty, low-life, cheating, scum-bag. He had to be.

"Liar! I know you cheated. I know it!" she insisted in an enraged growl, diving at him and pinning him to the couch, blonde pigtails tickling his cheeks as she glared down at him. Well you know what they say: hell hath no fury like a woman on the war path.

"Oi! Get off me, tiny-tits! I said I didn't cheat!" Soul protested, trying – and failing – to shove his partner away. But Maka wouldn't budge. "What're ya getting so worked up over anyway? Have you completely lost your mind?"

"I'm not about to pay a forfeit I don't deserve! I won't do it! You always win our card games, every single time – it's not natural I tell you!"

"Wh-What? _That's _what this is about? Good grief Maka, we finished playing over an hour ago!" Soul cried, struggling beneath her weight, trying not to think about the fact that she was straddling him. He didn't want there to be an embarrassing accident that might result in his premature death. God knew Maka thought bad enough of him already without that.

"I can't take it anymore... No more time with Papa... Please, no more!" she wailed, anguished tears streaming down her cheeks. Soul was left blinking, confused in the face of her second sudden mood swing that night. "Anything but that."

_I can't believe she's sat there all this time, thinking about her stupid forfeit, _Soul mused. He _had_ wondered, as the pair of them sat in silence after their weekly card game, what she'd been thinking about so intently. But he'd been so tired he hadn't bothered to ask. Well, now he knew.

As she cried desolately against his shoulder, he let out a long suffering sigh. This Meister of his was gonna give him an aneurysm.

"Geez, if that's all you're worried about you should have just said. I suppose I can give you a different forfeit if it really bothers you that much." he murmured, patting her back consolingly. After all, it's not as if he _enjoyed_ her suffering... Well, maybe a little... but if she was going to go this far...

"Really?" Maka exclaimed, big green eyes sparkling with hope. "Oh thank you Soul! I'll do _anything_ you want!"

One look at his grinning face and she quickly amended her statement. This was Soul Eater she was dealing with, she reminded herself.

"Within reason." she added pointedly.

Soul didn't answer but instead placed a hand on either shoulder and pulled her closer. Before Maka could squeal or complain – which it had been at the very fore of her mind to do – he covered her lips with his own and kissed her softly.

Needless to say she was surprised. Shocked, actually. Soul was, by nature, a fairly rough guy – he didn't do gentle and he didn't do kisses. He didn't even do hugs for pity's sake. Yet here he was, kissing her with uncharacteristic tenderness... _Her_, Maka Tiny-tits Albarn, his Meister. It was as unexpected as things came.

And she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. Just a _little. _

As he pulled back, a smug smirk on his face as he took in her startled expression and rising blush, she thought she saw him lick his lips. Maybe she did... she couldn't tell because her eyes were misted by a veil of... of something. Something unnameable, something _magical_. Something she had never felt before in her entire life. It was strange and yet wonderful.

"Heh. You taste pretty good." he chuckled, and this time she definitely saw him lick his lips. "Like... peaches... or something."

This of course, did nothing to halt the brick-red creeping across her cheeks.

"Wh-what was th-that for?" Maka stuttered, covering her glowing cheeks with her hands as best she could.

"That was your forfeit. Bet you'll look forward to losing at cards from now on, eh?"

"J-Jerk!" she cried, but inside she was smiling. He didn't know just how right he was. Flustered and burning with humiliation, but also deeply content, Maka removed herself from Soul's lap (realising as she did so, the compromising position they'd just been in) and headed to her bedroom for the night. She waved a brief farewell and mumbled an embarrassed 'Goodnight', before allowing the door to click closed behind her.

This Soul watched with an expression somewhere between highly amused and smugly victorious. He reached into his sleeve and removed the cards he'd stowed there earlier (all good ones of course), shuffling them into the deck in preparation for the next games night. It certainly hadn't taken her long to snap. He'd expected it to take twice as many games as that. But all in all, things had progressed precisely as planned.

Games night was certainly going to take an interesting turn form here on out.

-X-

**So I recently discovered Soul Eater and... I LOVED IT! It was really odd (especially the sun and moon, which, by the way, freak me out) but a fantastic story nonetheless. All the characters were amazing in their own way but I particularly fell in love with Soul and Maka. Soul, because he's loyal and brave, and Maka because she kicks ass. And naturally they make a great couple. :)**


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